A Report on Alcohol Use in Northwestern Ontario, 2017
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Northwestern Health Unit Alcohol in Our Communities: A Report on Alcohol Use in Northwestern Ontario 2017 Alcohol in Our Communities: A Report on Alcohol Use in Northwestern Ontario, 2017 Author: Randi Casey, Health Promoter & Megan Shewfelt, Planning & Evaluation Specialist Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 Economic Burden ....................................................................................................................... 5 Health Harms ............................................................................................................................. 6 Alcohol Trends in the Region ..................................................................................................... 7 Alcohol in the Community Survey .............................................................................................. 8 A Culture of Moderation through Alcohol Policy ......................................................................... 9 Online Discussion Panel ...........................................................................................................10 Municipal Alcohol Policy ........................................................................................................11 Community Events ................................................................................................................12 Availability .............................................................................................................................13 Marketing ..............................................................................................................................14 Promising Practices in Northwestern Ontario ............................................................................15 Next Steps for NWHU ...............................................................................................................17 References ...............................................................................................................................18 Appendix 1: Alcohol in the Community Survey Results .............................................................19 Appendix 2: Recommendations for Reducing Alcohol-Related Harms ......................................23 Appendix 3: Online Discussion Panel – Final Poll Results ........................................................25 Executive Summary This report examines the impacts of alcohol use in a provincial, regional, and community context, and the opinions and perceptions of alcohol consumption gathered from Northwestern Ontario residents and community partners through an online survey and online discussion panel. Additionally, this report highlights best-practice evidence, as well as initiatives currently underway in the region, for denormalizing alcohol use and addressing issues related to alcohol. This information is used to make recommendations for the work of Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) over the next four years to develop and strengthen alcohol-policy in the region. In Ontario, alcohol consumption is the second leading risk factor for death, disease and disability. Alcohol consumption results in substantial health and social costs to individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. Looking specifically at our region, epidemiological evidence demonstrates the high level of morbidity and incidence of adverse health outcomes related to alcohol consumption in the NWHU catchment area relative to the rest of province. The report provides a detailed review of the input received in the ‘Alcohol in the Community’ online survey and Talk Public Health: Online Discussion Panel. From the online survey we heard from community members, and health and social service providers in our region share concerns about the relationship between alcohol use and crime/safety; alcohol and addictions; associations with social factors such as homelessness, poverty and unemployment; and, degradation of families. The Online Discussion Panel asked panel participants to specifically weigh-in on their opinions of alcohol-related policy-tools or strategies for addressing alcohol use. Both the panel and online survey shone light on the normalized drinking culture in Northwestern Ontario. Based on research, and community and partner feedback received, the NWHU, in partnership with other community groups and agencies, will promote a culture of moderate alcohol consumption by working on: Healthy Public Policy Assisting Municipalities to update their alcohol policy where appropriate, and work to educate our communities on why MAPs are important. Working with communities towards healthy public policy related to alcohol. Education & Skill Development Educating the public and community groups/coalitions on the benefits of stricter controls on alcohol availability and marketing Educating the public on the health harms of alcohol use through awareness campaigns such as Rethink Your Drinking, and skill-building activities. Continuing to educate the public on harms associated with underage drinking and the provision of alcohol to minors through local partnerships and campaigns. Alcohol in Our Communities: A Report on Alcohol Use in Northwestern Ontario, 2017 2 Continuing to promote Canada’s Low-risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and encourage people to drink in moderation. Supporting families and youth with skill-building opportunities that help them develop resilience and reduce underage alcohol use and misuse. Creating Supportive Environments Promoting, encouraging and hosting family friendly alcohol-free events in our communities. Continuing to work with law enforcement to reduce impaired driving, including distributing Low-risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines during RIDE programs. Working with health care services and other service providers to support pregnant women to reduce alcohol consumption during pregnancy We know that changing the culture around alcohol consumption in Northwestern Ontario will not be an easy task, and will require the use of a variety of tools and strategies implemented through community partnerships. Alcohol in Our Communities: A Report on Alcohol Use in Northwestern Ontario, 2017 3 Introduction Alcohol use is part of many aspects of Canadian society. It plays a role in our culture, economy, politics, health status, and relationships. Many people use alcohol to relax, to socialize and to celebrate. Alcohol accompanies our meals, and is incorporated into our holidays and events. Given that recent statistics show that almost 80% of adult Canadians reported consuming alcohol in 2013 (Public Health Ontario, 2015), it is important to understand the different ways alcohol can impact communities and how municipalities can lead the way in supporting healthy outcomes. Ontario has recently moved toward wider and more liberal access to alcohol. Changes to the way alcohol is distributed, sold and available in Ontario have been made to increase revenue through alcohol taxation, and to increase consumer convenience and choice (Ontario Public Health Association, 2015). We have seen the introduction of the sale of alcohol at venues that are family centered such as farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Available evidence and experience from other provinces indicates that increasing alcohol availability and privatization of alcohol sales leads to an increase in alcohol consumption, which in turn leads to an increase in harms, injuries and societal issues in communities (OPHA, 2015). According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the policy changes in Ontario could increase the number of alcohol related deaths in Ontario by 100+/year. (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2015). However, the trend continues. In December 2015, 60 grocery stores in Ontario became licensed to sell beer, and the total number of licensed stores will eventually reach 450 in 2017. In addition to beer, wine and cider will also be available in 300 stores. In the 2016 Ontario budget, released in March 2016, we saw the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) introduce an ecommerce platform which allows consumers to order alcohol online and have it delivered directly to their home. All of these measures allow alcohol to become more visible and readily accessible in the community. In order to address these issues, Northwestern Health Unit staff reviewed current literature on alcohol. We then looked at statistics for our region to gain an understanding of alcohol use in our communities. Finally, we conducted both an online discussion panel and a public survey to see what people know about alcohol and its harms, what the issues in our communities are, and what we can do to address these issues. This report is a summary of that information. “In our community, it seems that all events or activities are tied to alcohol use. Hunting, fishing, camping, four wheeling, all have a drinking component to them. Events have beer gardens, the golf course has a beer cart, some activities end the day at the legion, etc.” – Community Member Alcohol in Our Communities: A Report on Alcohol Use in Northwestern Ontario, 2017 4 Economic Burden Local economies may be boosted by alcohol sales, and municipalities may earn property tax revenue from businesses that sell alcohol. However, municipalities